TITLE 42 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER VII - TRANSITIONAL, SAVINGS, AND CONFORMING PROVISIONS

42 USC 7291 - Transfer and allocations of appropriations and personnel

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the personnel employed in connection with, and the assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balance of appropriations authorizations, allocations, and other funds employed, held, used, arising from, available to or to be made available in connection with the functions transferred by this chapter, subject to section 1531 of title 31, are hereby transferred to the Secretary for appropriate allocation. Unexpended funds transferred pursuant to this subsection shall only be used for the purposes for which the funds were originally authorized and appropriated.

(b) Positions expressly specified by statute or reorganization plan to carry out function transferred by this chapter personnel occupying those positions on October 1, 1977, and personnel authorized to receive compensation in such positions at the rate prescribed for offices and positions at level I, II, III, IV, or V of the executive schedule (5 U.S.C. 5312–5316) on October 1, 1977, shall be subject to the provisions of section 7293 of this title.

42 USC 7292 - Effect on personnel

(a) Full-time and part-time personnel holding permanent positions
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the transfer pursuant to this subchapter of full-time personnel (except special Government employees) and part-time personnel holding permanent positions pursuant to this subchapter shall not cause any such employee to be separated or reduced in grade or compensation for one year after August 4, 1977, except that full-time temporary personnel employed at the Energy Research Centers of the Energy Research and Development Administration upon the establishment of the Department who are determined by the Department to be performing continuing functions may at the employees option be converted to permanent full-time status within one hundred and twenty days following their transfer to the Department. The employment levels of full-time permanent personnel authorized for the Department by other law or administrative action shall be increased by the number of employees who exercise the option to be so converted.

(b) Person who held position compensated in accordance with chapter 53 of title 5
Any person who, on October 1, 1977, held a position compensated in accordance with the Executive Schedule prescribed in chapter 53 of title 5, and who, without a break in service, is appointed in the Department to a position having duties comparable to those performed immediately preceding his appointment shall continue to be compensated in his new position at not less than the rate provided for his previous position, for the duration of his service in the new position.

(c) Employees holding reemployment rights acquired under section 786 of title 15
Employees transferred to the Department holding reemployment rights acquired under section 786 of title 15^[1] or any other provision of law or regulation may exercise such rights only within one hundred twenty days from October 1, 1977, or within two years of acquiring such rights, whichever is later. Reemployment rights may only be exercised at the request of the employee.

[1] See References in Text note below.

42 USC 7293 - Agency terminations

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, whenever all of the functions vested by law in any agency, commission, or other body, or any component thereof, have been terminated or transferred from that agency, commission, or other body, or component by this chapter, the agency, commission, or other body, or component, shall terminate. If an agency, commission, or other body, or any component thereof, terminates pursuant to the preceding sentence, each position and office therein which was expressly authorized by law, or the incumbent of which was authorized to receive compensation at the rates prescribed for an office or position at level II, III, IV, or V of the Executive Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5313–5316), shall terminate.

42 USC 7294 - Incidental transfers

The Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in consultation with the Secretary and the Commission, is authorized and directed to make such determinations as may be necessary with regard to the transfer of functions which relate to or are utilized by an agency, commission or other body, or component thereof affected by this chapter, to make such additional incidental dispositions of personnel, assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, authorizations, allocations, and other funds held, used, arising from, available to or to be made available in connection with the functions transferred by this chapter, as he may deem necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter.

42 USC 7295 - Savings provisions

(a) Orders, determinations, rules, etc., in effect prior to effective date of this chapter
All orders, determinations, rules, regulations, permits, contracts, certificates, licenses, and privileges

(1) which have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to become effective by the President, any Federal department or agency or official thereof, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, in the performance of functions which are transferred under this chapter to the Department or the Commission after August 4, 1977, and

(2) which are in effect on October 1, 1977,

shall continue in effect according to their terms until modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or revoked in accordance with law by the President, the Secretary, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or other authorized officials, a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law.

(b) Proceedings or applications for licenses, permits, etc., pending at effective date of this chapter; regulations

(1) The provisions of this chapter shall not affect any proceedings or any application for any license, permit, certificate, or financial assistance pending on October 1, 1977, before any department, agency, commission, or component thereof, functions of which are transferred by this chapter; but such proceedings and applications, to the extent that they relate to functions so transferred, shall be continued. Orders shall be issued in such proceedings, appeals shall be taken therefrom, and payments shall be made pursuant to such orders, as if this chapter had not been enacted; and orders issued in any such proceedings shall continue in effect until modified, terminated, superseded, or revoked by a duly authorized official, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law. Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to prohibit the discontinuance or modification of any such proceeding under the same terms and conditions and to the same extent that such proceeding could have been discontinued or modified if this chapter had not been enacted.

(2) The Secretary and the Commission are authorized to promulgate regulations providing for the orderly transfer of such proceedings to the Department or the Commission.

(1) the provisions of this chapter shall not affect suits commenced prior to October 1, 1977, and

(2) in all such suits, proceedings shall be had, appeals taken, and judgments rendered in the same manner and effect as if this chapter had not been enacted.

(d) Suits, actions, etc., commenced by or against any officer or agency or cause of action by or against any department or agency
No suit, action, or other proceeding commenced by or against any officer in his official capacity as an officer of any department or agency, functions of which are transferred by this chapter, shall abate by reason of the enactment of this chapter. No cause of action by or against any department or agency, functions of which are transferred by this chapter, or by or against any officer thereof in his official capacity shall abate by reason of the enactment of this chapter.

(e) Suits with officers, departments, or agencies as parties
If, before October 1, 1977, any department or agency, or officer thereof in his official capacity, is a party to a suit, and under this chapter any function of such department, agency, or officer is transferred to the Secretary or any other official, then such suit shall be continued with the Secretary or other official, as the case may be, substituted.

42 USC 7296 - Separability

If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, neither the remainder of this chapter nor the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall be affected thereby.

42 USC 7297 - Cross references

With respect to any functions transferred by this chapter and exercised after October 1, 1977, reference in any other Federal law to any department, commission, or agency or any officer or office the functions of which are so transferred shall be deemed to refer to the Secretary, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or other official or component of the Department in which this chapter vests such functions.

42 USC 7298 - Presidential authority

Except as provided in subchapter IV of this chapter, nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed to limit, curtail, abolish, or terminate any function of, or authority available to, the President which he had immediately before October 1, 1977; or to limit, curtail, abolish, or terminate his authority to delegate, redelegate, or terminate any delegation of functions.

42 USC 7299 - Transition

With the consent of the appropriate department or agency head concerned, the Secretary is authorized to utilize the services of such officers, employees, and other personnel of the departments and agencies from which functions have been transferred to the Secretary for such period of time as may reasonably be needed to facilitate the orderly transfer of functions under this chapter.

42 USC 7300 - Report to Congress; effect on personnel

The Civil Service Commission shall, as soon as practicable but not later than one year after October 1, 1977, prepare and transmit to the Congress a report on the effects on employees of the reorganization under this chapter which shall include

(1) an identification of any position within the Department or elsewhere in the executive branch, which it considers unnecessary due to consolidation of functions under this chapter;

(2) a statement of the number of employees entitled to pay savings by reason of the reorganization under this chapter;

(3) a statement of the number of employees who are voluntarily or involuntarily separated by reason of such reorganization;

(4) an estimate of the personnel costs associated with such reorganization;

(5) the effects of such reorganization on labor management relations; and

(6) such legislative and administrative recommendations for improvements in personnel management within the Department as the Commission considers necessary.

42 USC 7301 - Environmental impact statements

The transfer of functions under subchapters III and IV of this chapter shall not affect the validity of any draft environmental impact statement published before October 1, 1977.